VOODOO : 550-MPH EXPERIMENTAL

CubCrafters
EX-3/FX-3

Another
Better Cub!
ROTAX 915 iS
Rotax Raises the Bar
RV-8 ON ICE
How Ice Hurts Performance
CHOOSING AN ELT
JULY 2018
Which One’s Right for You? www.kitplanes.com
CubCrafters
EX-3/FX-3
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 Another better Cub! BY PAUL DYE

When CubCrafters started out many years ago, Not only did CubCrafters redesign (and rede-
their intent was to build a better Cub, a daunting fine) the Cub, they took a look at the business of
challenge when you think about the fact that this producing airplanes and turned that on its ear as
ubiquitous airplane is known the world over as well. This single company produces Part 23 cer-
both a workhorse and a fun machine to fly. Cubs tified machines, ASTM-certified Special Light
have explored the far reaches of the globe and Sport aircraft, kits for Experimental Light Sports,
brought their pilots back so they can tell the sto- and kits for the E/A-B market. And now they are
ries—how can they get any better? deeply involved in a factory-assist program that is
The answer is that they can be made lighter similar—but different—to what other companies
to give them better performance, aerodynamic have pioneered. They have their fingers in almost
mods can make them handle better, and modern every niche of the light-plane market, and their
construction techniques can make them easier to sales reflect that, with delivery slots for finished
build and maintain. The end result is a modern- aircraft pre-sold into 2019.
ized version of the venerable machine that the It’s an exciting time to visit CubCrafters’ facility
public associates universally with “light airplanes.” in Yakima, Washington, and we did so early this

Photos: Chris Cram (courtesy of CubCrafters) and Paul Dye KITPLANES July 2018 3
year to sample their latest design, avail-
able as either a complete kit (the EX-3)
delivered to your workshop, or as a
factory-assisted build (the FX-3). Either
way, the customer is part of the build in
varying degrees, and either way, you end
up with one great flying machine.

What’s New
The EX/FX is the next evolution of the
CubCrafters line, borrowing from all of
the previous models, and particularly
from lessons learned with the XCub.
Powered by CubCrafters’ proprietary
CC363i engine and a constant-speed Large cooling gills have been tailored to optimize cooling flow through the cowling.
prop, the airplane has tremendous per-
formance due to power, aerodynamics, Covering up all that power is almost it up with little addition of weight. The
and light weight. a shame, but CubCrafters did it with EX/FX was designed to Part 23 stan-
Let’s start with power. A panel of Cub- a composite cowling that minimizes dards, just like the XCub, so there is
Crafters experts sat down and asked how cooling drag while maximizing cooling. nothing being overly stressed.
they could do better than the traditional And if you are used to the view out the The EX/FX also borrows from the
IO-340 that they have been using on front of a Super Cub, be prepared for a XCub when it comes to flight controls.
previous versions. They added features surprise—the tapering cowling provides Pilots liked the longer stick on the
they wanted such as tapered-barrel Mil- an excellent view over the nose. XCub, but engineering analysis showed
lennium cylinders, a counterweighted Moving back into the airframe, the that in order to use the longer stick, other
crankshaft to better absorb the power EX/FX is now rated for a gross weight elements of the flight control system
pulses from the 9.0:1 compression, and of 2000 pounds. CubCrafters president needed beefing up because more lever-
roller tappets. They decided to use the Randy Lervold explained that they have age means more force can be applied by
Silver Hawk EX fuel injection system, been holding the gross weight at the the pilot. We found the stick geometry
but are sticking with the dual Light old standard of 1850 pounds for years to be very natural—enough stick length
Speed electronic ignitions they have because they have managed to build an to get our hand above the legs, but not
been using for years. Adding a special airplane with an empty weight several so high that you couldn’t rest your arm
cold-air sump fabricated in house and hundred pounds lighter than legacy on your leg to maintain smooth con-
a flow-bench engineered induction sys- Cubs, making the useful load that much trol. The EX/FX uses cables for aileron
tem for better breathing gives them 186 higher. But pilots are pilots (especially control instead of the pushrods of the
hp to deliver to the Hartzell Trailblazer bush pilots), and they always want XCub, but we didn’t find that we could
prop—a constant-speed, blended-airfoil more—so upping the gross weight now actually tell the difference.
scimitar measuring 86 inches in diam- gives a significant boost to an already Finally, it might seem to be a trivial
eter. The front end of this airplane looks boosted useful load. The structure was improvement to many, but a lot of
and means business. there, and where it wasn’t, they beefed thought went into the new heater system,

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 CUBCRAFTERS EX-3/FX-3
Kit price . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $87,000
Estimated completed price . . . . . . . . . . . $179,030 (Includes
CC363i engine [$39,990], firewall-forward kit [$13,990],
Trailblazer prop [$18,060], and World VFR panel [$19,990])
Estimated build time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-1000 hours
Number flying (at press time) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Powerplant . . . . CubCrafters CC363i, 186 hp @ 2700 rpm
Propeller . . . Hartzell Trailblazer, 2-blade, constant-speed

AIRFRAME
Wingspan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 ft 4 in
Wing loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.44 lb/sq. ft
Fuel capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 gal
The cabin heat flows from multiple ducts to provide hot air to both pilot and passenger, Maximum gross weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000 lb
as well as the windshield defroster. Typical empty weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1060 lb
Typical useful load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 940 lb
and it does make a difference if you fly be absorbed easily and still leaves 713 Full-fuel payload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 676 lb
in cold climates. It’s no secret that most pounds for pilot, passenger, and cargo. Seating capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
light aircraft have poor cabin heat from Unless you’re planning on carrying an Cabin width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 in
a single hole in the firewall and a heater elk, it’s going to be hard to overload this Forward baggage capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 lb
muff around the exhaust pipes. It’s even machine. And with a cruise speed of 135 Aft baggage capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 lb
worse in most tandem aircraft for the mph, you can carry that load a reason-
rear seat occupant—in short, they prob- able distance without having to plan PERFORMANCE
ably need to dress warm. But in the EX/ overnight stops. Cruise speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 kt
FX, extra attention was paid to maxi- Maximum rate of climb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2400 fpm
mize airflow and heat transfer into the Flying the FX-3 Stall speed (landing configuration) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 kt
cabin. Heat ducts flow that air to both We showed up at CubCrafters’ door on Stall speed (clean) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 kt
the front and rear seats (Yes, this Cub has a clear winter day in February, and the Takeoff distance (to 50 ft agl) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 ft
rear-seat heat!), and even to a defroster brand-new factory demonstrator was Landing distance (from 50 ft agl) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 ft
when needed. The difference is quite waiting for us, full of fuel and sniffing Specifications and pricing provided by the manufacturer.
noticeable. We flew the airplane on a cold the sky as if to say, “Come on—let’s not
winter day over the Cascade Mountains waste the day!” CubCrafters president, so no boost pump was required; we
and stayed toasty warm the entire time. Randy Lervold, gave us the briefing on just pushed in the mixture, cracked the
CubCrafters has always been good with the upgrades and differences between throttle, and hit the starter. The elec-
cabin amenities, and they kept that repu- the -3 and the earlier models, but it tronic ignitions fired right off, and the
tation going with the EX/FX. was clear he wanted to get in the air as airplane was ready to go.
With the new gross weight of 2000 well. So, in short order, we strapped in The visibility over the nose is about
pounds and an empty weight of 1023, the to the comfortable cockpit and fired up as good as it gets in a Cub. You can eas-
useful load of 977 pounds is astounding the big fuel-injected CC363i. The fuel ily see to taxi, and even when following
for a Cub. Forty-four gallons of fuel can tanks in the high wing are gravity feed, closely behind another Cub for a later

Two knobs direct heated air in abundance to the passenger and/ The new heat duct between the pilot’s legs is very effective—
or the defroster. even in a mountain winter.

KITPLANES July 2018 5

photo mission, we felt none of the blind-
ness we remember from our old J-3 days.
Sitting in the front seat helps. Run-up is
quick and straightforward, checking the
dual Light Speed ignitions and the big
constant-speed Hartzell prop. Then it
was on to the runway, pulling one notch
of flaps, adding power, lifting the tail—
and flying away…all in about the time it
took for you to read this sentence.
To say that the initial climb is spec-
tacular is an understatement. The air-
plane simply levitates away from the
earth, and pulling back to make the
climb steeper is both comfortable—as it
feels very solid—and a little frightening.
Don’t let that impish grin fool you—this machine is all business!
There is no substitute for power!
The airplane feels stable at low speeds progressively steeper turns, the improved most “Cub-alikes,” you put the cowling
with steep banks, with little nibbling aileron design that appeared on the close to the horizon in a turn, but in the
at the stall, as you’d expect with non- XCub showed once again how Cub- FX-3, you’ll have to put it significantly
STOL-ish airplanes. Later in the flight, Crafters has tailored the design through below. This means better visibility in
we added flaps and went to full throttle, careful flight testing to make an airplane turns, as well as in climb. It’s easy to get
then hauled back to a rocket-like atti- that is simply delightful. Yes, it’s still a used to—and enjoy—but it’s something
tude for an approach to a power-on stall Cub, and it’s not going to do an aileron for which you’ll want to adjust.
that had us almost lying on our backs. roll in a couple of seconds like your Pitts. Stalls were a non-event, power off.
This rock-solid feel at low speeds con- But compared to a genuine original Cub There was little break in the clean stall
tributes to the fun you’ll have maneu- (J-3 or Super, take your pick), the FX-3 is and no tendency to roll off to either side.
vering around trees on final approach quick and responsive. It enters and exits a With flaps extended, the break was posi-
to a gravel bar or short dirt strip. It’s a roll rate crisply, making quick maneuvers tive—about what you’d want for teach-
confidence builder. easy to initiate and formation flight fun. ing people stalls—with positive roll and
As we climbed southward out of One of the most noticeable things yaw control throughout. This is a well-
Yakima, with a stiff wind blowing out of in turning flight is the low nose. The engineered and tailored machine.
the north, we crossed the nearby ridge- cowl slopes away from the pilot in a After getting the feel of the plane,
line that looms in a pilot’s face with way that will have you climbing in we headed over to a short grass strip in
no difficulty. As we rolled into some turns if you don’t think about it. In the farmland south of Yakima for a few

Amateur, Assisted, or Pro?

CubCrafters has taken builder assist and turned it around—but is capabilities. But, they may not have the time, skills, or dedication
it legal? The answer is an unequivocal yes, and they have worked to put one together from start to finish by themselves. One way for
closely with the FAA to make sure this is the case. CubCrafters is them to get such an airplane is to buy one on the resale market, and
one of the few companies that sells certified Part 23 aircraft, ASTM this is becoming more common as builders age out of their flying
standard LSA aircraft, and Experimental kits, so they are very aware days and look to find good homes for their machines. There’s nothing
of staying within the regulations for each type. illegal or problematic about this. The airplanes were still built for
In traditional homebuilding, an Experimental/Amateur-Built education and recreation, and nothing stops their resale.
aircraft is put together from plans, parts, or a kit in someone’s Enter, however, the “pro builder”—someone who offers to build you
workshop, and it is allowed to be licensed if the builder performed a custom airplane for a price. This is against the rules, but it can be hard
the “major portion” of the build for the purposes of education or to figure out where to draw the line. Perhaps an individual loves build-
recreation. The point of this rule is to prohibit individuals or compa- ing so much that they just keep building and selling and building and
nies from producing aircraft without meeting certification criteria selling. Without peering into their mind, it can be hard to tell if they are
set up by the FAA in Part 23. Such certification is expensive and time doing this as a business or as a chain hobby. There are blatant cases of
consuming—hence the Experimental category and the kit market. pro building, but many others that live in the shadows.
Many people want aircraft that can only be had in the experi- There are also manufacturers that see a need to help potential
mental world, either because of performance, cost, or equipment builders climb the often-daunting peak of building an airplane.

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Billet-machined aileron and flap hinges tell you that this is not one of old Mr. Piper’s Cubs. Gap seals improve elevator effectiveness—
important for slow flight and short
landings and takeoffs. One notch on and release the brakes. You’re flying off in takeoffs and landings.
downwind, two notches on base, and a three-point attitude in a plane length or
an approach speed down between 50 two (OK, maybe three; we didn’t mea- plenty of rudder to steer the nose in and
and 60 mph was comfortable and natu- sure). If we’d had any headwind, we’d out. Overall, the airplane was a delight
ral. There was plenty of power to adjust have probably hovered off like a helicop- in formation and handled like a much
approach angle radically if required— ter. Power and a great wing, coupled with faster and more responsive airplane than
and frankly, you could “blow” the tail good controls, make this stuff easy. any Cub-like plane I have flown.
up or down with the slipstream for an A good test of handling qualities for As we returned to Yakima’s 7000-
added measure of control. There was any airplane is formation flying, and on foot towered runway later in the day,
plenty of elevator in the flare for a good our photo mission, Lervold gave me the we did a formation landing. As Ler-
three-point. Wheel landings were a airplane to fly solo while he took com- vold touched down in a Carbon Cub,
piece of cake, and the hardest thing is to mand of the photo ship (another Carbon and I was approaching the threshold in
make yourself stop doing circuits; they Cub, of course). Flying a new ship in for- the FX-3, an Alaskan Airways Dash 8
are just that much fun! mation is always interesting, but I found called for takeoff clearance. The tower
We practiced Lervold’s recommended the airplane to be quick and responsive, asked me to expedite, and though I
short-field takeoff technique a couple of and easy to put anywhere I wanted. The was already nearly at running speed, I
times. Two notches of flaps, a touch of constant-speed prop allows for good added a little power in the wheel land-
back pressure on the stick, add full power, braking in an overshoot, and there was ing. Lervold later commented how

These companies want to do as much as is legally allowed to make fabricated by the factory. CubCrafters’ program has turned that
that happen. Enter builder assist. Probably the most famous of around. They place their emphasis on fabrication, rather than
these programs is the Glasair Two Weeks to Taxi method of build- assembly. This means that the builder shows up for a week of
ing a Sportsman: The builder shows up for an intense two-week intense fabrication work under the tutelage of factory techni-
period and “builds” their airplane with the assistance of factory cians. In that week, they fabricate enough of their parts to fulfill
support technicians. the majority of the 51% rule. They then go home and their parts
The FAA provides a checklist that is used to assure that the major are kept in quarantine (so to speak) until the factory has time to
portion of an airplane is built by amateurs (for the purpose of educa- assemble them into an airplane. Finally, the builder comes back
tion and recreation). It is a tally sheet that lists the fabrication and for a couple of days to help with final assembly (to finish the 51%),
assembly tasks involved in building an airplane, and in the simplest and then they can either fly their own test program, or the factory
terms, it must be completed so that amateur builders have per- pilots can do it for them. In these cases, they return again to pick
formed 51% of the tasks. Which specific tasks are not important— up the completed airplane.
what counts is the percentage completed by amateur builders and It’s non-traditional, but within the lines drawn by the FAA. It
the percentage done for them by professionals. allows ownership of an E/A-B aircraft by folks who don’t have time
In traditional builder assist programs, the builder performs to do it the traditional way—but want to stay within the rules.
a large number of assembly tasks using parts that have been —P.D.

KITPLANES July 2018 7

nicely I lifted off and flew just inches
above the runway to the exit taxiway.
Frankly, I didn’t even feel much differ-
ence between the high-speed taxi and
flying—control was good, even with 15
knots of wind on the nose.

In the Cockpit
CubCrafters Cubs are different than
regular Cubs. Not only has the com-
pany taken 70 years of experience with
the basic platform and improved the
machine, they have also spent a great deal
of time thinking about the flying experi-
ence for the pilot and passenger. Starting
with the seats, the front is ground adjust-
The large G3X Touchscreen provides everything you need for aviating and navigating.
able to allow you to fit your leg length to
the rudder pedals. The rear seat sling is single GTR 200 com radio is also control- reaching behind the passenger seat.
much more comfortable than anything lable from the screen. However, we did it There is plenty of room back there for
you’d find in an original Cub, and the from the radio head out of habit. Switches camping and exploring gear.
cabin seems spacious. The windows on are arrayed across the top of the EFIS for
both sides swing up and have a nicely the aircraft electrical system and lighting. From the Outside
machined capture latch to hold them The mixture is a push-pull knob on the To many people, a Cub is a Cub. But
there. The door swings down in two left side of the panel and is easy to adjust. look close at the EX/FX-3, and you’ll
pieces on the right side, giving more entry The left side also has throttle and prop find lots of little details you won’t see
room. Both front and rear seats have full control. Push-pull knobs for the new heat anywhere else. Aileron and flap hinges
flight controls, including toe brakes. system are on the top of the panel. And, are billet-machined aluminum, so you’ll
The instrument panel is dominated by of course, seeing as how this is a Cub- never see the telltale rust stains common
a single large Garmin G3X screen, giv- Crafters airplane, there are cup holders on almost every 60-year-old airplane
ing you flight and engine instruments, mounted both fore and aft. you’ll find. The elevators have gap seals
plus moving map capability. The ADS-B/ The large baggage area is reachable on the top surface of the hinge line, add-
transponder system is remote mount, from an outside door on the right side ing to the excellent pitch response you
with pilot control via the EFIS, and the of the aircraft or from the cabin by get at low speeds.

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Modern avionics require modern sensors, and magnetometers work well in fabric wings. The prop knob tells you that you can
get every single pony out of the engine
A mark of any good bush plane these cowl. Up front, underneath the air- when you need it.
days are the big Alaskan Bushwheels, plane’s snout, is a new NACA duct
and the latest CubCrafters airplane feeding two inlets for the improved your aircraft at the CubCrafters facility
doesn’t disappoint. The big, bubbly cabin heat system. in Yakima. “FX” is short for “Factory
tires make touchdowns soft, even on Another obvious improvement up on Experimental,” and it means that you
uneven and rocky terrain. Using them the nose is the composite Hartzell blended fabricate parts and help assemble the
often on pavement can be costly, how- airfoil propeller; it’s an impressive aircraft at the factory, with their tools,
ever, as that soft rubber is not happy 83-inch scimitar that really grabs the air under the watchful eyes of technicians
when chip-sealed asphalt tears away at for good short-field pulling power. who do this every day. Not the first to
it. It has been said that every landing The overall impression is of a mature, offer a factory build assist program,
on pavement can cost you $10—but powerful machine with plenty of fea- CubCrafters has taken a unique twist
the fun of taking them off airport is tures and power to haul you, your on the process—they emphasize fabrica-
worth it to most. CubCrafters uses ven- passenger, and your cargo up into the tion, not assembly.
tilated brake disks to help cool them mountains with performance (and The FAA considers an airplane to be
down after aggressive stops, and we can comfort) to spare. amateur built if 51% of the tasks on their
confirm that you can stop in a remark- kit evaluation checklist are performed by
ably short distance. Ground handling FX—Builder Assist an amateur for the purposes of education
is also excellent, and the pneumatic Turned Upside Down and recreation. The FAA National Kit
tailwheel provides good handling. If you choose to build your own Carbon Evaluation Team (NKET) analyzes kits
Taking a look at the cowl, the four- Cub but don’t have the time (or feel you for compliance with the “major portion
into-one exhaust stack has its own tun- have the skills) to do it the traditional rule” and publishes a list of kits and pro-
nel down the middle of the bottom way, there is another option: building grams that qualify. The list can be found

Tundra tires are only natural for an airplane designed for the Go ahead—stand on the brakes—the ventilated disks can take it.
bush—the only choice you have to make is big…or bigger.

KITPLANES July 2018 9

(Left) CubCrafters’ assembly line shows the build-up of fuselages as they move down the row. (Right) A wing undergoing final assembly.

at https://tinyurl.com/y7p6aabz and is weighted. While other factory assist cut carbon fabric for layups, assist in
updated as new kits are evaluated. programs focus on assembly, CubCraft- vacuum bagging and infusing a certain
The important score to look for is the ers’ program for the FX leans toward set of parts, and clean flashing and other
first column of any of the checklists, fabrication. This works because of excess material off of parts to finish
which shows the portion that is com- the way the checklist is written. For them. In short, they get a crash course in
pleted by the manufacturer. This needs instance, customers don’t have to make carbon part layup and fabrication while
to be less than 50%, and companies all of the wing ribs—they only have to building parts for their airplane.
that offer quickbuild or factory-assist make “a wing rib.” They do one, and the At the end of the week, the factory
options strive to get it as close to that factory builds the rest. takes all of the parts built by the cus-
number as possible. CubCrafters aircraft consist of a tomer and puts them in a single staging
Note on the NKET list that many huge number of vacuum-bagged, resin- area, ready for assembly into an aircraft.
of the tasks are fabrication, rather than infused parts. Although a builder They add to that pile the parts that the
assembly, and each line item is equally doesn’t have to make them all, they do factory fabricates, and when the time

Practice, Practice, Practice…

How do you know if building a CubCraft- We gave the practice kit a try one the frame. Then it was some careful cutting
ers kit is right for you? One way is to try a afternoon at our airpark, inviting two other around the hinges and gluing the open edges
practice kit. While many kit manufacturers aluminum airplane builders and an A&P who to the frame along the bottom of the balance
have practice kits that introduce a prospec- owns a Cessna, but is restoring a Stinson. All horn, and along the hinge line.
tive builder to the methods and techniques we had to add to get started on the practice While all of us had taken at least the Poly-
used to fabricate or assemble their aircraft rudder were some brushes, pinking shears, an Fiber workshop (available at AirVenture and
designs, CubCrafters is one of a few iron, and a box of nitrile gloves to keep things Sun ’n Fun), and a couple had covered aircraft
manufacturers that has taken a different clean. Everyone did their homework by watch- before, none of us had significant recent
approach. With their practice kit, you end up ing the video in advance, so we knew that the experience—but we knew enough to proceed
with a part that you can actually use on your first step was fitting the pre-sewn cover over quickly and produce a nice-looking covered
own airplane—a rudder, in fact.
Yes, the CubCrafters EX-2 Discovery kit
is pricey at $995, but instead of a piece of
wall art when you are done, you have your
first finished part. Included in the package
is a completely pre-welded rudder frame,
sewn fabric envelope, tapes, rivets, and all
of the liquids necessary to glue the fabric
to the frame and then do a finish job.
They also include necessary portions of The rudder practice kit comes with a frame, Clothespins hold the envelope in place on
the build manual and digital videos of envelope, tape, rivets, and the necessary the trailing edge.
the build process. chemicals to get the job done.

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End of the (assembly) line. The CubCrafters factory floor ends The CubCrafters delivery hangar is set up to allow FX builders to
with finished airplanes ready to poke their noses into the daylight. do final assembly tasks and take delivery of their finished aircraft.

comes to start the customer’s airplane that the aircraft is amateur built—and in meets the letter of the law. I asked him
down the assembly line, they use that set a condition for safe operation—he issues the obvious question, “Do you feel that
of parts to build it. the airworthiness certificate. a builder who has invested just a couple
When the aircraft reaches a critical The airplane then goes into Phase 1 of weeks in the build is really qualified
final assembly point, the customer comes flight testing, which the customer can to hold the repairman certificate and do
back and helps with that final assem- fly, or it can be completed by the factory the annual condition inspection?”
bly, earning more points on the NKET (for an extra fee). Lervold’s response was interest-
checklist. The finished plane is inspected Many homebuilders have raised an ing and honest: According to him,
by a local DAR, who Lervold says is no eyebrow over this type of homebuild- there has not yet been a builder who
pushover. He quizzes the builder to ing (see sidebar on page 10, “Amateur, has gone through the program and
make sure that they have an understand- Assisted, or Pro?”), but Lervold, a mul- requested a repairman’s certificate. They
ing of the major portions in which they tiple-time homebuilder himself, has all understand the limitations of this
participated. When the DAR is satisfied worked to make sure that the program kind of building.

rudder. Having all of the necessary materials coats. Our rudder might not win a Lindy at Practicing is a great way to build skills, as
included in the kit was very convenient. Oshkosh, but it certainly was airworthy, well as to determine if the whole tube-and-
We didn’t have to worry about not having and I wouldn’t be embarrassed to have it on fabric thing is for you. I predict that the
the appropriate thinner, solvent, or other my aircraft. CubCrafters kit can easily help nudge a lot of
supplies. It took us about 3 hours to get to the One of the nice things about the practice folks who might be on the fence into ordering
point where the fabric was glued in place and kit is that if you feel like you didn’t get enough a full aircraft kit. As one of our group said,
the first coat of Poly-Brush was applied—not practice, you can cut off the fabric, and Cub- “It’s not rocket science—farm boys have
bad for metal airplane builders! Crafters will sell you an inexpensive “refill kit” been covering airplanes since the days of the
Next up was installing rivets in place consisting of the fabric envelope and more Wright brothers.”
of rib stitching, taping, and adding finish chemistry, and you can do it all again. —P.D.

The Poly-Fiber process is used to close the Even a metal airplane builder can learn Ready for rivets and tape!
envelope around the frame. how to iron the fabric taut.

KITPLANES July 2018 11

 In any case, Lervold said that if a aircraft. The answer is that the E/A-B authorization (IA). This is important
builder does ask, CubCrafters’ policy is category allows routine maintenance in parts of the country where IAs are
to discourage it. Most builders under- and modifications to be done by any- hard to find or schedule.
stand the advantage to having a second one—not just a licensed mechanic or
set of eyes look over the airplane on a repairman—and it also allow upgrades FX or EX—It’s a Great Plane
regular basis anyway—even if they have and modifications with experimental There is no doubt that CubCrafters has
the authority to do the inspection. It’s a products, rather than ones that strictly refined the original Cub platform sig-
good point to remember, even for tradi- meet TSOs. Experimental avionics nificantly over the years. With reduced
tional homebuilders. are generally ahead of the certified empty weight comes increased use-
If builders of FX aircraft aren’t ask- aircraft fleet and cost significantly ful load, regardless of increased gross
ing the for the repairman certificate less (for more features), and having weight or not. The extra horsepower
(one of the traditional reasons people an E/A-B certificate allows upgrades and constant-speed prop (allowing that
build their own E/A-B aircraft), why from that segment of the market. It horsepower to be used) in their latest
do they choose to build? After all, also allows condition inspections to model gives an airplane that not only
an FX doesn’t really save money over be signed off by any A&P mechanic— handles well, but performs at the top of
buying one of CubCrafters’ certified not just one with an inspection its class. It is a fun airplane to fly slow,

An Interview with John Whitish

KITPLANES® sat down with John Whitish, CubCrafters’ marketing KP: How does the new heater system provide more heat to the cockpit?
director, to probe him on some of the reasoning and details behind JW: In short, there are two larger heat muffs on a new exhaust
the new EX-3/FX-3. Here’s what he told us. with a more efficient air intake (new cowl scoop) and better ducts to
KP: Tell us—what prompted the design of the EX/FX-3? pilot and passenger positions, as well as the windshield. The controls
JW: In June 2016, CubCrafters introduced the XCub, intended to direct the BTUs where you need them.
top the category in terms of payload, speed, and range. XCub’s low KP: What plane did you use as the basis for the new design—where
empty weight, max gross weight of 2300 pounds, and new Hartzell did you start?
constant-speed prop were the keys to distinguishing it from our own JW: We started with the EX-2/FX-2.
offerings, as well as competitors’. What if we strengthened our EX-2/ KP: Tell us about the ailerons—how did you give those a more
FX-2 airframe and added the same constant-speed prop? Presumably sensitive feel?
we’d gain much of the XCub’s capabilities at a lower price. JW: These were part of the XCub development and actu-
KP: Tell us about the engine package for the new plane. ally trickled down to the EX-2/FX-2 before the XCub was even
JW: We originally developed the Titan CC340 with ECi (since introduced. During flight tests, XCub prototypes with traditional
acquired by Continental) because we needed a light, powerful engine ailerons required impossibly high stick forces at 130–150 mph. An
for our new LSA (Carbon Cub SS). We found that the Titan CC340 didn’t airfoil was designed to replace the flat aileron, and a deep wing
like constant-speed props (or vice versa), so again we set out to design cove and blunt trailing edge were added. The family of changes
a light, powerful engine for our new EX-3/FX-3. serves to activate the airflow, which improves the aerodynamic
The CC363i is a lightweight four-cylinder engine built on tapered- response, lowers the lateral control loads, and increases aerody-
barrel Millennium cylinders, a counterweighted crankshaft, and namic centering. At traditional Cub speeds, pilots experience a
roller tappets from Superior Air Parts. Avgas is delivered by Precision crisp, tactile feel.
Airmotive’s Silver Hawk EX fuel injection system, which includes a KP: We noted aileron control wires outside the struts (as is tradi-
backup electric fuel pump. Dual electronic ignition from Light Speed tional). How come you didn’t use the internal pushrods from the XCub?
Engineering generates spark. Moderate 9.0:1 compression ratio pistons JW: Because it’s a Carbon Cub. We also didn’t include many of the
in the flow-matched cylinders (balanced and ported) serve the engine’s aerodynamic refinements, spring aluminum landing gear, and posh
extended service life. Sky Dynamics supplies a featherweight flywheel interior. Those are reserved for our flagship model.
and 4-into-1 exhaust system. The base engine is assembled and tested KP: What are the differences (if any) between a finished EX and a
by CubCrafters’ long-time engine partner, Aero Sport Power. finished FX?
Like our CC340 engine, the CC363i features a very light aluminum JW: None. A qualified builder can assemble an EX-3 that is indistin-
oil sump that is fabricated entirely by CubCrafters. This is one area guishable from an FX-3.
where significant weight was trimmed. Most impressive, however, KP: What other props did you try on the airplane? We see that you
is the unique, ultra-lightweight cold-air induction system that settled on the Hartzell composite BA. Why?
CubCrafters designed specifically for this engine. The unusual curved JW: None. We went straight to the Trailblazer because of our expe-
plenum is molded in featherweight carbon fiber and receives air rience with the prop on the XCub. Hartzell was an incredibly helpful
from a redesigned scoop on the underside of the cowl. Fuel injec- vendor during the XCub development, and we received equally
tion, electronic ignition, and our new induction system contribute impressive support during the EX-3/FX-3/CC363i testing. High-class
to amazingly consistent CHTs and EGTs across all cylinders. company. High-class people.

12 KITPLANES July 2018 www.kitplanes.com & www.facebook.com/kitplanes

a great airplane to fly faster, and it will time in Yakima to build your FX ver-
haul a heck of a lot into a high-altitude sion, there is nothing you need to
destination, regardless of whether or bring except your enthusiasm and your
not there is much runway. checkbook. CubCrafters even main-
There are many ways to build a Cub- tains a small fleet of courtesy cars for
alike airplane, from starting with plans, their resident customers—that’s how
to using a basic kit with a welded fuse- much they are thinking about the cus-
lage and plans, to a few kits that are tomer experience.
meeting today’s standard of “complete.” Either way, EX or FX, you’ll have a
The EX-3 kit is probably as complete as wonderful Cub when you are finished
anyone can imagine. We’re sure you’ll with the project, one that will fit natu-
order a few things extra, but we can’t rally into the outback or slot itself into
figure out what those things might be. the pattern at any GA airport. “It flies
CubCrafters has gone to great lengths like a Cub” is a compliment in and of
to make sure you have everything you itself—but in the case of the -3 model,
need. And if you decide to spend some it does much better than that. J

KP: Can the airplane be put on larger or smaller main gear if a person parts, including wing ribs, extensions, and instrument panel. They
wants to go even rougher or wants to fly mostly off of pavement? What form and rivet (880 rivets!) their ailerons and flaps.
options are available for tires? KP: Does the builder of the FX version help in final assembly of the
JW: Being Experimental, the builder/buyer can do whatever they aircraft, or is it ready to go when they come back to fly?
like. However, with the 80-inch Trailblazer, clearance is an issue with JW: Most, but not all, of the assembly is complete when the builder
anything shorter than the included 3x3 landing gear and 26-inch returns for their second two-day session. This is when they install the
tires. With the 83-inch prop choice, 29-inch tires are required for seats and harnesses, landing gear and tires, LED lighting, cowl, spin-
adequate prop clearance. Thirty-one-inch Bushwheels are the largest ner, and a smattering of parts that finish the assembly.
we recommend. KP: If a person orders an EX model, how complete is the kit? What might
KP: What are the reasons that a person might want an EX/FX versus a they still need to buy? Does it come with a razor blade taped to the outside of
Part 23 aircraft from you? the box, like the old Christen Eagles, just to emphasize that it is “complete”?
JW: Because of the increased latitude provided by Experimental JW: Builders have to supply their own box knife, as well as all of the
certification. Owners/builders can modify their airplane if they choose. tools required to complete the build. They will also need to buy two
That is especially important considering today’s accelerated evolution batteries, paint, and an ELT if they choose to use one. Everything else
in avionics. For adventure airplanes, advancements over current land- is included in the kit.
ing gear are an incentive. Owners/builders can service their airplane KP: What is the price for the FX versus the EX (similarly equipped).
too (though we don’t necessarily encourage FX buyers to do that). We’re In other words, what is the cost of the builder assist program?
big proponents of owning Experimental. Though pilots can use Part 23 JW: Apples to apples, the premium for the FX airplane will be about
certified aircraft commercially, the lingering stigma attached to the $70,000 over an EX with the same equipment.
term “Experimental” is not valid for our FX program. KP: Does the builder of an FX do any fabric work?
KP: Tell us about the FX build program. How long does it take? JW: Yes, he/she cuts several of the envelopes, but does not actu-
JW: Seven working days (a five-day session and a two-day session). ally install them on the fuselage or wings. Since fabric installation
From the builder’s initial arrival here to the delivery of his finished is smack in the middle of the aircraft assembly, more fabric work
airplane, ready for Phase 1 test flight, is about 60 days. doesn’t fit well into the program.
KP: You turned builder assist on its head—What prompted the KP: How does the FAA look at the FX program—are they satisfied that
unique take on builder assist with the FX program? the builder is doing the major portion per the National Kit Evaluation
JW: Jim Richmond, CubCrafters’ founder, prompted it. He asked the Team (NKET) checklist to qualify the airplane as amateur-built?
question, “How can more airplane buyers enjoy the benefits of own- JW: Several FAA offices, including our Manufacturing Inspection
ing Experimental?” FX offers Experimental ownership and greater District Office (MIDO) in Spokane and Flight Standards District Office
involvement in the construction process (and thus greater familiarity (FSDO) in Seattle, as well as MIDOs in our customers’ home districts
with the airplane) with less commitment (time, effort) than a kit. have reviewed and approved the Amateur-Built Fabrication and
KP: If a person builds the FX version, what components do they actu- Assembly Checklist for FX airplanes produced so far, and thus the
ally fabricate at the factory? Give a few examples. aircraft were approved for Experimental certification. However, the
JW: The list is long. Builders cut all of the tubing for the fuselage. National Kit Evaluation Team has not reviewed the FX program, and
They cut and lay up all but the largest of the composite parts. They we haven’t asked since the FX is not a kit.
cut and, where appropriate, hydroform all of the sheet-aluminum —P.D.

KITPLANES July 2018 13